Traditional Radio, CRT TV Repair Trade Struggles in Digital Age

VICKY VERMA

JAMMU, JULY 21: Once a common feature in almost every household, radio was the most trusted source of news, information and entertainment. Families gathered around radio sets to listen to news bulletins, cricket commentary and music, while CRT (box) televisions were the main source of home entertainment. Today, smartphones and LED televisions have largely replaced these devices.

 Although radio broadcasting continues through FM and internet platforms, most people now listen to it on their mobile phones instead of using standalone radio sets. This shift has significantly affected the traditional radio and television repair trade.

The change is clearly visible in Jammu city and nearby villages, where repair shops that once remained busy fixing radios, transistors and CRT televisions now receive only a few customers. The shortage of spare parts has made repairs even more difficult.

Seventy-year-old Ajit Kumar, who has been repairing radios, transistors and televisions for the past 40 years, said the demand for radio sets began declining after 2015-16 as smartphones became more popular. At the same time, LED televisions replaced CRT sets, reducing repair work further.

According to Ajit Kumar, customers bringing old radios and CRT televisions for repairs have become rare, while spare parts for these devices are now difficult to source. Based on his experience, he estimates that around 100 to 150 technicians in Jammu have left the traditional repair trade due to declining demand, with many shifting to repairing mobile phones, LED TVs and other electronic devices.

As technology continues to evolve, the demand for traditional radio sets and CRT televisions is steadily declining, leaving a decades-old repair trade struggling to survive.

Ajit Kumar repairs an old CRT television at his workshop.